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Friday, October 20, 2006

Herding Cats

Just returned from a week long fall vacation. Went to visit the grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and new puppy in Atlanta and then went on for a few days in the mountains. We set out for this adventure at about 5:30 on Wednesday night, thinking how great it would be to travel at night while the kids slept. WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!! I can't adequately recreate the scene without appropriate sound effects, but picture if you will: William sitting directly behind Andy, Catherine behind me. Andy driving in the pouring rain, me hanging over the seat searching for 8 lost pacifiers, Catherine hollering, William having mini meltdown and kicking the back of Andy's seat and Andy reaching behind alternating hands popping him yelling "STOP KICKING THE SEAT"....the louder William yelled, the higher pitched Catherine's wailing became....I reached over the backseat and grabbed William's face, put my face right in front of his where our noses were nearly touching and whispered...."please...please....please....for love of all things good....stop....kicking...your....father's.....seat. please. please. please." Momentary quiet as I drag myself back over the seat and turn forward for the first time in 47 miles. I stare straight ahead and say...who thought this was a good idea? To which Andy quickly replies....NOT ME! This was all before we reached the first Stuckeys.

I'm happy to say that we made it there and ended up having a wonderful time. We got to enjoy visiting with extended family at our cousin's 1st birthday party, visited the aquarium, shopped, played with cousin Jackson, relaxed at the cabin and rode Grand-daddy's "tractor" (4-wheeler). Oh....and played and kissed and hugged on sweet Cody the puppy. However.....taking two toddlers out of their own safe and comfortable predictable little environments is the equivalent of herding cats for a week. Actually, that would be easier. Sometimes there really is no place like home.

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